The European Team Chess Championship 2025 concluded today in Batumi, Georgia.
Intense final round determined the Winners and Medalists in the Open section, as Ukraine and Azerbaijan headed into the last with a joint lead. Azerbaijan played against Serbia on the top board, while Ukraine faced England.
Higher-rated team of Azerbaijan was the favourite in the match against Serbia, but Serbians took a convincing 3-1 victory with GM Alexey Sarana (SRB, 2661) defeating GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE, 2742), GM Aleksandar Indjic (SRB, 2618) outplayed GM Rauf Mamedov (AZE, 2655), and GM Robert Markus (SRB, 2535) scored against GM Aydin Suleymanli (AZE, 2614). GM Eltaj Safarli (AZE, 2630) was the only one to bring Azerbaijan the point as he won the game against GM Velimir Ivic (SRB, 2638), but Serbia won the match and secured themselves a medal.
After seeing the result on the top board, Ukraine needed only 2-2 in the match against England. But they already had advantage on the boards, as GM Ihor Samunenkov (UKR, 2568) had decisive advantage against GM Luke McShane (ENG, 2614), while GM Anton Korobov (UKR, 2596) and GM Igor Kovalenko (UKR, 2669) had material advantage in drawish Rooks endgames. The game on the first board between GM Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR, 2633) and GM Nikita Vitiugov (ENG, 2654) was already finished in a draw. Samunenkov eventually converted the edge into a win, while the other two games finished in draws, and Ukraine emerged as the sole Winner of the event with the score of 15 match points.
That left Azerbaijan and Serbia tying for the second place with the score of 13 match points, but Azerbaijan had better tiebreak criteria to win silver medal.
And Serbia claimed bronze.
Poland won the European Women’s Team Chess Championship 2025, after defeating Azerbaijan in the final round. IM Oliwia Kiolbasa (POL, 2388) outplayed IM Gulnar Mammadova (AZE, 2323), IM Alina Kashinskaya (POL, 2450) and IM Klaudia Kulon (POL, 2336) played a very solid games which finished in draws against IM Khanim Balajayeva (AZE, 2351) and WIM Ayan Allahverdiyeva (AZE, 2220), while IM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (POL, 2394) drew a Rooks endgame with a pawn up when she saw that her team wins the match.
With the final score of 16 match points, Poland emerged as the sole Winner of the Championship.
Ukraine won silver medal with the score of 14 match points, after playing 2-2 against Armenia in the final round.
And Germany clinched bronze medal with the score of 13 match points, since they suffered a loss against Bulgaria.
Final rankings can be found here
The best individual players according to their tournament performance are:
- Board 1 (Open): 1.GM Richard Rapport; 2.GM Vincent Keymer, 3.GM Anish Giri
- Board 2 (Open): 1.GM Alexey Sarana; 2.GM Jorden Van Foreest; 3.GM Laurent Fressinet
- Board 3 (Open): 1.GM Eltaj Safarli; 2.GM Aleksandar Indjic; 3.GM Jones Gawain Maroroa
- Board 4 (Open): 1.GM Igor Kovalenko; 2.GM Lorenzo Lodici; 3.GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis
- Board 5 (Open): 1.GM Ihor Samunenkov; 2.GM Isik Can; 3.GM Frederik Svane
The best individual players in the Women’s section were:
- Board 1 (Women): 1.IM Mai Narva; 2.IM Stavroula Tsolakidou; 3.GM Alexandra Kosteniuk
- Board 2 (Women): 1.GM Anna Ushenina; 2.IM Sabrina Vega Guiterrez; 3.WGM Hanna Marie Klek
- Board 3 (Women): 1.IM Oliwia Kiolbasa; 2.IM Lela Javakhishvili; 3.IM Ann Matnadze Bujiashvili
- Board 4 (Women): 1.GM Bella Khotenashvili; 2.GM Natalia Zhukova; 3.IM Gulnar Mammadova
- Board 5 (Women): 1.WGM Kateryna Dolzhykova; 2.WFM Bozhena Piddubna; 3.WIM Silvia-Raluca Sgircea
The Closing ceremony of the event was attended by the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Head of Adjarian Autonomous Republic Sport Department Ms. Irma Nizharadze, ECU Vice Presidents Mr. Malcolm Pein, Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson, and Mr. Alojzije Jankovic, ECU Commercial Chief Adviser Mr. Moshe Slav, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and FIDE Vice President Mr. Mahir Mammedov, President of the Georgian Chess Federation and FIDE Special Task Director Mr. Akaki Iashvili, and other distinguished guests.
